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News Update:
7 Elements Of Setting Bold Goals
It’s all about the mission, and the mission statement is important in articulating that goal. But a nonprofit must go beyond just the mission statement. Cass Wheeler, former CEO of the American Heart Association, urges organizations to set their sights on the “bold goal,” one that energizes the mission statement and takes it to another level, one that offers something that can’t just be taken for granted. It is not enough to just have a bold goal, however. An organization must have broad organizational buy-in and commitment. Wheeler maintains that a bold goal offers the following benefits: - It will drive development of the strategic and tactical plans to greater specificity to reach interim benchmarks.
- It will drive the organization along the continuum of what it measures.
- It will force nonprofit thinkers out of their comfort zones and encourage creativity.
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More News... An ‘Idiot’s’ Guide To Being Socially Responsible Donors and prospective donors are becoming more aware of and attuned to social investing. During the past few years, this trend has manifest itself in such forms as putting money into investment vehicles that support worthwhile causes or trying to dictate where or how their donations are used. The new book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Giving Back” offers a wide range of information to people considering concentrating their investments in socially responsible investments (SRIs). Although the information is intended for those who wish to contribute money, knowing what is on the mind of supporters could be helpful to nonprofit managers.
Regarding socially responsible funding, that is investment in plans that try to help worthy causes, the book offers the following tips: - Identify your financial needs. How much can you afford to invest? How much can you risk losing?
- Identify and prioritize your social values. Think about what is most important to you in terms of causes and values. Knowing where you will and will not compromise is helpful in the investment selection process.
- Understand and examine social screens. Understand the negative and positive social screens that financial management companies use to review corporate report cards on social issues. Request prospectuses from a few possible investment candidates and compare them.
- Make your selection. After you have completed your self-assessment and an assessment of various socially responsible funds, choose the fund that most closely matches your financial and social goals.
7 Attributes of Sustainability Goals
Wanted: sustainable air to breathe, water to drink and soil for growing crops.
They are as American as apple pie, as desirable as helping elderly ladies cross the street. In his book “Strategy for Sustainability,” however, Adam Werbach preaches the values of sustainability as more than catchy-sounding words about our environment, but as being able to continue in perpetuity, staying n business forever, as it were. Werbach stresses the importance of StaR mapping: social changes, technological changes and resource changes. They are a means by which an organization can perform a rapid analysis of changes in society. To do that mapping, however, it is necessary to articulate what Werbach calls North Star goals, the strategic direction toward which an organization drives to reach greater sustainability. North Star goals have these attributes: - They move steadily but incrementally toward solving a global human challenge; they address a purpose larger than any company.
- They align with and benefit from an organization’ s strengths.
- They are achievable in five to 15 years.
- They are personally actionable; everyone on board contributes to progress.
- They are both optimistic and aspirational, but not impossible.
- They connect to the core business; they are not tangential or bolted on.
- They ignite individuals’ passion in your organization.
Developing An Emotional Connection With Donors
How do you talk to your donors? Is it a stiff monologue about dollar amounts? Or, is it a rich conversation about your mission and your hope that the donor feels included to your organization’ s family? Delving into that emotional connection makes a difference toward becoming a “passion-driven leader,” according to Nancy Bocskor, president of The Nancy Bocskor Company, at Blackbaud’s Conference for Nonprofits. What does it take to be a passion-driven leader. - Path to positive results. Define for yourself the key values of your organization then motivate others with a positive message.
- Perfect degrees of separation. Build a follower coalition with the people you meet. Find common concerns and shared interests to build a bridge between you and others.
- Personal trust. Trust is valuable and sometimes hard to gain back once it’s lost. You can also reach a wider group of people by relying on trust relationships you have already maintained.
- Passion alignment. Try to bring people together through their common interests. Bocskor recommends starting small at first, and building on your successes.
- Peers of influence. The people you create trusted bonds with have their own spheres of influence. Ask them to bring their friends or family with common interests into the group -- that will help bring in new ideas to common challenges.
- People collector. Take the time to shape the people around you, but understand that they might move on to different projects or concerns. But that doesn’t mean you should forget about them -- constantly build on those relationships.
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